Spying revelations not helpful for Government seeking Indonesia's help on asylum seekers

Australia is now facing the possibility that Indonesia may choose not to cooperate on issues like asylum seekers

AFP: Adek Berry

The spying revelations could not come at a worse time for the Coalition Government, and the issue is likely to lead to more resistance to plans to stop asylum seekers travelling from Indonesia to Australia.

What Prime Minister Tony Abbott needs right now is maximum cooperation from Indonesia - instead he is likely to get the reverse.

Indonesia's ambassador to Canberra, Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, has been recalled for consultations, and the real worry for Australia is that the next step may be a "go slow" on bilateral cooperation.

Before this week, Mr Abbott’s idea of a foreign policy - "more Jakarta than Geneva" - was already taking a beating.

Jakarta was angered by the earlier spying claims from Edward Snowden that indicated general surveillance of politicians was taking place, and more recently when Indonesia refused a request to return rescued asylum seekers to Indonesia and claimed Australia had pushed the vessel into Indonesian waters.

This latest release of information proves whom Australia targeted in its surveillance operations in 2009.

Top of the list was Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and senior government members.

No wonder Indonesia is angry. For the president himself, this revelation puts him in a very difficult position.

In Jakarta, his enemies have accused him in the past of being too close to Australia and of not being tough enough.

Now those people can use this information against him, and say he has been weak and allowed Australia to get away with spying on its friends.

Mr Yudhoyono has been for over a decade about as close a friend to Australia that this country could ask for.

He has encouraged closer ties and cooperation, and when things got tough - over everything from Australians in prison in Bali, to the live cattle export ban - the president has always given Australia a hearing.

In effect, he has given Australia the benefit of the doubt.

It will not matter much that this allegation in 2009 covered the period of the Rudd rather than the Abbott Government.

Mr Yudhoyono will not be able to ignore the clamour at home to do something.

Australia has said it cannot confirm, deny or comment on intelligence matters. At the moment, that leaves no room for an apology.